ARB Twin Compressor Temperature Testing

[Ingridthehorrible]

Additional Testing Update 8/6/2022, finally had time time today to run the test with the hood open, engine hot and running. This is the most likely operating condition that most of us will operate the air compressor to reinflate the tires after running trails. See attached file ARB Temp testing with hood open engine hot and running 8-6-2022 for additional details.

I'm personally not concerned with the temps these run at, however do recommend insuring your installation location is suited to the temperatures and nothing is in direct or close contact to the cylinders. Also insure that the compressor is protected from accidental contact to prevent skin burns. If installed under the hood recommend having the hood open during operation. If you are going to connected an airline directly to the compressor output, would recommend at least a 300 F rating on the airline.

After running for 10 minutes, compressor head temp 331 F, compressor outlet airline 228 F

For comparison to show now hot compressors can run, IR scaned the home shop compressor, it's a 1932 vintage Wayne compressor, cold start 0 PSI ran to 160 PSI shutoff, approx 16 mins.

IR scanned the compressor just after hi pressure shutdown after running approx. 16 mins , 160 PSI

Compressor first stage output airline 249 F

Compressor second stage output airline 294 F

Cylinder Temp 186 F

Airline inlet to pressure tank 139 F

Additional Testing Update 7/28/2022 , was able to preform the open hood, cold engine and engine not running test this evening. Still need to complete the open hood engine running test, hopefully will complete sometime this coming weekend. See attached for this evening testing; see attached doc, ARB Temp Testing With Hood Open Engine Off and cold

IR Scan from tonight's testing, cylinder head temp 250 F and the compressor outlet airline at 141 F

battery voltage graph

Compressor amp draw graph

Original post 7/23/2022 With some of the recent threads about air hoses failing that were connected to an air disconnect chuck that is directly attached to the compressor, decided to do some testing with an IR camera. This testing was done worse case, Bronco up to temp, engine running, hood closed and AC running, outside ambient air approx 88 F. If I have time tomorrow after installing the new skid plates on the Bronco plan to repeat the test with the hood open and AC off.

Link for my ARB Twin install, Nov 2021 https://www.bronco6g.com/forum/thre...led-under-hood-2-7l-engine-compartment.28068/

Edit, this is not meant to cause alarm but to show how hot air compressors can get

See attached word.doc for additional details of testing

Compressor head temp after running approx 10 mins, approx 340 F

Edit, pix from above with additional data point to show the compressor outlet air line temp it's approx 226 F about 110 degrees cooler than the compressor cylinder head temp of 340 F

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[MileHighCitizen]

Did you happen to get a base number of the compressor running when everything else is cool to compare with? This seems high, but without reference i dont know weather to look for another solution or just let things cool down first.

 

[Ingridthehorrible]

Did you happen to get a base number of the compressor running when everything else is cool to compare with? This seems high, but without reference i dont know weather to look for another solution or just let things cool down first.

Didn't consider doing the test with the engine off and cold, normally one would be airing the tires back up after running trails before getting back on the pavement. The dual compressor draws about 30 to 50 amps when running, I do plan to rerun the tests tomorrow, same as today except with the hood open and the AC off. Will place an DC amp clamp on the compressor leads tomorrow to get actual DC current values with the compressor running.

If I get started early enough tomorrow will do the same test hood open, engine off and cold to see what the temps reach.

 

[JediMcMuffin]

These things seem to get hot regardless. What is their operating temps? Will they auto shut off at certain maximums?

 

[MileHighCitizen]

Didn't consider doing the test with the engine off and cold, normally one would be airing the tires back up after running trails before getting back on the pavement. The dual compressor draws about 30 to 50 amps when running, I do plan to rerun the tests tomorrow, same as today except with the hood open and the AC off. Will place an DC amp clamp on the compressor leads tomorrow to get actual DC current values with the compressor running.

If I get started early enough tomorrow will do the same test hood open, engine off and cold to see what the temps reach.

You're absolutely right about airing up after running the trail and getting back on pavement. I guess im trying to figure out if under the hood is gonna work best for me or if another solution may fit my need better. When Im ready to leave, I dont want to have to wait for my engine to cool down before i can fill up all 4 tires to highway pressures. Thanks for doing this and providing some data for people to work with.

 

[Ingridthehorrible]

You're absolutely right about airing up after running the trail and getting back on pavement. I guess im trying to figure out if under the hood is gonna work best for me or if another solution may fit my need better. When Im ready to leave, I dont want to have to wait for my engine to cool down before i can fill up all 4 tires to highway pressures. Thanks for doing this and providing some data for people to work with.

Planning on two more sets of test, 1.) with the engine running and hood open, 2,) with every thing cold, engine off. Had planned on completing both of these yesterday, but got sidetracked fixing some 65 year old plumbing inside the house.

 

[Bronkers]

Planning on two more sets of test, 1.) with the engine running and hood open, 2,) with every thing cold, engine off. Had planned on completing both of these yesterday, but got sidetracked fixing some 65 year old plumbing inside the house.

Thank you for doing this! Very curious about dead cold test as well; the delta between compressor operating alone vs all other heat generators is what I want to know.

Being in 110+ temps regularly in desert SW, this is more of a factor for me.

My ARB dual's been sitting in the box for months because ARB can't figure out how to release their own bronco bracket at a rational cost (no offense to the 'first to market' guy)...

--> makes me wonder if it's just 'supply chain issues' holding up a brake metal bracket from the same company that has to warrant the compressor

 

[Razorbak86]

Planning on two more sets of test, 1.) with the engine running and hood open, 2,) with every thing cold, engine off. Had planned on completing both of these yesterday, but got sidetracked fixing some 65 year old plumbing inside the house.

Thanks for doing these tests.

I won't run the ARB Twin with my engine off, due to the massive current draw, because I don't want to kill my battery, so that particular test won't be of much interest to me personally.

 

[4x4TruckLEDs.com]

You're absolutely right about airing up after running the trail and getting back on pavement. I guess im trying to figure out if under the hood is gonna work best for me or if another solution may fit my need better. When Im ready to leave, I dont want to have to wait for my engine to cool down before i can fill up all 4 tires to highway pressures. Thanks for doing this and providing some data for people to work with.

People have been running ARB Compressors under the hood for years. Not only that, most of them leave the hoods closed and have them burried inside the engine bay.

ARB Compressors, unlike the cheaper knock-offs, are built to survive brutal elements.

The twin compressor is a 100% duty cycle compressor, meaning it's been tested to run for 1 hour constantly at 72 degrees (161 F). Now that's for 1 hour straight.

They've been tested to withstand temps of 230 degrees and have been tested for such. That's a LOTTTTTTTTT of heat. Sure you're going to heating up that air hose and the air is going to be hot, but the unit itself isn't going to fail.

 

[MileHighCitizen]

People have been running ARB Compressors under the hood for years. Not only that, most of them leave the hoods closed and have them burried inside the engine bay.

ARB Compressors, unlike the cheaper knock-offs, are built to survive brutal elements.

The twin compressor is a 100% duty cycle compressor, meaning it's been tested to run for 1 hour constantly at 72 degrees (161 F). Now that's for 1 hour straight.

They've been tested to withstand temps of 230 degrees and have been tested for such. That's a LOTTTTTTTTT of heat. Sure you're going to heating up that air hose and the air is going to be hot, but the unit itself isn't going to fail.

That's great to hear. Underhood is my first choice, and I'm glad the horror stories I've heard are likely related to cheap compressors and not inherent problems from heat-soak.

I appreciate you taking the time and will be sure to purchase my mount and whatever else I may need from your site. Thanks again.

 

[4x4TruckLEDs.com]

That's great to hear. Underhood is my first choice, and I'm glad the horror stories I've heard are likely related to cheap compressors and not inherent problems from heat-soak.

I appreciate you taking the time and will be sure to purchase my mount and whatever else I may need from your site. Thanks again.

I've yet to have a SINGLE customer report issues with their ARB due to heat issues under the hood. In all our history selling ARB I think we only had ONE person who reported issues where his compressor "would not turn on" but I think it was related to damage in shipping at the end of the day (which is why every single ARB compressor we ship, we open up to check for damage and then re-pad them ourselves). We get them on a pallet also from ARB directly. We didn't on the very first compressors we shipped but after customers reported wire harnesses breaking due to improper padding on ARB's part, we now pad ever single one individually going out the door.

 

[UtahBrandon]

Thank you for doing this! Very curious about dead cold test as well; the delta between compressor operating alone vs all other heat generators is what I want to know.

Being in 110+ temps regularly in desert SW, this is more of a factor for me.

My ARB dual's been sitting in the box for months because ARB can't figure out how to release their own bronco bracket at a rational cost (no offense to the 'first to market' guy)...

--> makes me wonder if it's just 'supply chain issues' holding up a brake metal bracket from the same company that has to warrant the compressor

I've been waiting on the ARB bracket solution as well, but I just noticed that JCR came out with their own bracket design. Good to see prices coming down and more competition.
https://www.jcroffroad.com/product/BR6AIR.html

 

[4x4TruckLEDs.com]

I've been waiting on the ARB bracket solution as well, but I just noticed that JCR came out with their own bracket design. Good to see prices coming down and more competition.
https://www.jcroffroad.com/product/BR6AIR.html

We have a bolt-on mounting system right here. Been out since November: https://www.4x4truckleds.com/kr-off-road-arb-compressor-engine-bay-mount-for-2021-ford-bronco/

Use coupon code BRONCO6G and save 10% on the entire kit

 

[Bronkers]

I've been waiting on the ARB bracket solution as well, but I just noticed that JCR came out with their own bracket design. Good to see prices coming down and more competition.
https://www.jcroffroad.com/product/BR6AIR.html

That's a little more reasonable.

I was lucky to snag one of RTR's aluminum clamshell Jerry can mounts recently for $350 - also pricey, but the thing is feat of engineering compared to the r&d and production costs to make little metal brackets.

My wonder is increasing why smaller outfits have managed to bring the compressor mount to market when ARB has released elaborate rock sliders, bumpers, etc etc, but they can't release a mount accessory that supports a long-established (and presumably profitable) shelf item?

ARB is Australian - no strangers to crazy heat. There will be days I will be wheeling in 115-120deg heat. The current offerings sit the compressor near the the hottest part of the engine.

Maybe @Ryan at ARB would be kind enough to give us an update on ARB's mount...

 

[Ingridthehorrible]

Additional Testing results in original post

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